Shopping with Richard and Jason felt like running a marathon. Arella had never been doted upon before by anyone, except Azar. The fact that these two handsome young men were doting on her was a bit unnerving. Also, Jason kept flirting with her. Arella eventually asked him how old he was. He said he was 18 and didn't mind that Arella was older than him. Raven responded by dumping hot tea on his head and reminding him that Arella was her mother…who hadn't aged a day. They looked less like mother and daughter and more like fraternal twins. Eventually, they were joined by Alfred who insisted on buying ball gowns for the two. Arella said she had no need for ball gowns; she didn't even know how long she'd be staying on Earth. Alfred wouldn't hear of it. It wasn't until Raven threatened her boyfriend with bodily harm, that they decided to call it a day. Apparently, Raven was very much like Arella when it came to shopping. She too hated it with a passion.
Five hours later, Raven sat on the bed while she watched her mother hang the new clothes in the closet. Raven had so much she wanted to say, and yet, she didn't know what to say. She stared instead. She was awestruck by her mother's presence. Good things didn't happen to her, but she had a gorgeous boyfriend and mother who was no longer dead. She couldn't help but mentally prepare for the boot that would eventually drop. "Raven," Arella spoke, "my powers of empathy, though not as strong as yours, still exist. However, I don't need to be an empath to tell that something is, in fact, bothering you." Raven looked down at her hands to hide her blush. "It's nothing really," Raven said. "It's just…I have a boyfriend who I think loves me." Arella nodded as she listened to her daughter speak. "And you're alive. I should be excited, and I really am."
"But…?" Arella encouraged.
"Good things don't happen to me. I'm just worried that I may wake up and realize it was all a dream. I mean – I've never put much stock in hope and faith, but…I don't want to get so attached to you only to wake up and realize…" Raven's voice trailed off. She wasn't sure if she was making any sense. Arella smiled at her before sitting across from her on the bed. "I know what you mean, Raven," Arella said. "It feels too good to be true, you and I get a second chance at…this. Last night, I couldn't even sleep. I was so afraid that somehow Trigon had got into my head and was manipulating what I was seeing. If this was a dream, I didn't want to close my eyes for fear that this dream might end." Mother and daughter continued staring at each other. "So, what do we do?" Raven eventually asked.
"I don't know," Arella answered with a shrug. "Maybe, we enjoy our time with each other and hope that it's not a dream? Try to relax and not wait for the floor to be taken out from underneath us?" Raven nodded. "You should share your feelings with Richard," Arella said. Raven blushed. "I really am not one to share my feelings," Raven said.
"I understand," her mother replied, "but he seems like a really nice guy. He seems to genuinely care for you. And think of how happy he'll be that you chose to share with him?" Raven couldn't help but agree with that advice. She nodded. "So…" Raven said, changing the subject and giving her mother a knowing look, "Richard said he woke up early this morning to find you and Bruce having a cozy conversation."
"Nothing happened," Arella emphasized as her face reddened. "We were just talking."
"Right," Raven said with a raised brow.
"I'm serious," Arella said.
"If you say so, but do be careful. A lot of the girls who end up in his bed also claimed to be 'just talking.'" Arella rolled her eyes before looking at her daughter. "Raven, I have no intention of having sex with Bruce Wayne…no matter how gorgeous he is."
"Yeah, you don't need to say that."
"He was extremely handsome in high school."
"Mom," Raven tried to cut her mother off.
"But now, he is…it really isn't fair. He really is every woman's-"
"Thank you, Mother," Raven said. "I – I don't want to know where you're going with that, but…okay." Arella laughed. She then stared into space for a moment. "He was trying to tell me something earlier this morning," Arella spoke, "but Richard interrupted us."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. He said it was about you and the first time you came to Earth."
"Oh," Raven said.
"Oh? What's that mean?"
"Um…" Raven began playing with her hands. How should she put this? "So, you know how Richard is a vigilante hero?" Arella nodded. "Bruce is also. He is part of a huge team known as the Justice League. They have heroes operating all over the world." Arella nodded, still following. "I came to them five years ago, asking for help."
"Okay," Arella said uneasily, a weird feeling taking place in the pit of her stomach.
"Um…one of the members sensed a great evil in me. They, uh, they turned me away." Arella froze. Her face could have been carved from stone. "Excuse me?" she said.
"Yeah. They…well…I don't understand what they thought, but they said they wouldn't help me."
"Wouldn't or couldn't?"
"It was most definitely wouldn't," Raven answered. Arella felt a burning hot rage fill began to pool in her chest, and Raven sensed it. "Mom?" Raven said worriedly.
"Where is he?"
Bruce was in his study with Alfred, going over numbers for Wayne Enterprises when the door flew open with a bang, and an angry Arella marched in. Bruce didn't have to guess what this was about. "You turned away my daughter? A 13-year-old?" a completely enraged Arella asked. Alfred looked between the two and said, "This looks like something you two should work out privately. I'll be in the kitchen if you need me. Good luck."
"Coward," Bruce whispered to Alfred who only smirked in return. Bruce looked up at Arella's face, her blue/violet eyes glittering with aggression. "I can explain," he said calmly, hoping his steady voice would diffuse her rage.
"Oh, I would love to hear why the most powerful people on Earth turned away a 13-year-old girl. Please, enlighten me," she sneered angrily. Bruce was momentarily speechless at how Raven-like that response was. "It isn't a good excuse," Bruce remained seated while Arella glowered at him from the other side of the desk. He remained seated because he didn't want to appear threatening. "Honestly, we were a little scared."
"You were scared?" Arella seemed to growl, "and the child new to Earth wasn't?"
"I did say it wasn't a good excuse."
"Did you help with Trigon at all?"
"No, we did not."
"Well, at least you're honest. How could you?"
"I listened to the wrong people and was outvoted."
"Clearly!" Arella said sharply. "You should be thankful that my daughter is the one with powers! Because if it were up to me, I would hunt all of you down and throw you off the planet for your stupid cowardice!"
"That's fair," was all Bruce could say.
"That is more than fair!" Arella said before whirling around and storming back out the study.
Bruce stared after her long after she was gone. The entire time she was yelling at him, all he could think about was how adorable she looked. The way her eyes glistened; the way her chest expanded with every breath she took. Maybe it was the fact that she was wearing modern clothes and not the monk robes that had him feeling like this. "No, Bruce, do not go there," Bruce berated himself. He would not think about sleeping with Arella. No. He wouldn't do that. He would not sleep with the mother of his foster son's girlfriend. That was just wrong. And besides, judging from what he knew about her history with Trigon, Arella probably had no interest in sex. So…yeah. No sex with Arella. No thinking about sex with Arella. No dreaming about sex with Arella…starting now.
Raven sat by the pool with a book in her hand. Three in the afternoon; pushing 100 degrees. Richard did mention a while ago that Gotham had hot summers and freezing winters. Speaking of Richard, Raven looked up upon sensing his presence. There he was, in swim trunks, looking at her, walking towards; and she was looking at his abs. Raven looked back at her book in an attempt to hide her blush. Wow, he had abs and everything. She'd seen him shirtless, but usually in the gym during training. Something about the sun shining on his tan body…a shudder ran up Raven's spine.
"So," Richard said as he sat in the pool chair beside her, "I was passing Bruce's study, and I think I heard your mom going off on Bruce."
"Yeah," Raven closed her book, "I may have told her about my first experience with the Justice League."
"Oh," Richard said, "yikes."
"Yep," Raven agreed, "she was pretty pissed off."
"Understandable," Richard said. Raven watched as Richard began spreading sunblock over himself. "So," Raven coughed, "where's Jason? I thought he was joining us."
"You know, I really don't know what he spends his days doing. If he's not getting in trouble, Bruce doesn't seem to mind." Raven nodded. "Sunblock?" Richard held the lotion out to her.
"I'm good." Richard shrugged his broad, muscular shoulders. He then ran and jumped into the pool, making a big splash. Raven rolled her eyes as he resurfaced. "It's extremely hot out," Richard said as he treaded water by the edge of the pool, "there is a pool in front of you. And you're reading a book?"
"You showed me the Latin section of the library," Raven answered, "this is your fault."
"I honestly have never seen you swim," Richard said.
"That's not…" Raven paused. No, she had never been swimming with the Titans. "I can swim."
"Prove it," Richard challenged her with a smirk.
"Fine," Raven closed her book with a snap. She did come here to spend time with her boyfriend after all. There would be plenty of time to read later. She nimbly made her way to the shallow in before gracefully walking down the steps into the pool. Once she reached the bottom step, she dove under the water, reemerging in front of Richard. "See?" Richard said, "it wasn't that – " He stopped abruptly when a spray of water hit his face. She had spat water at him. Raven had her mouth full of pool water and spat it at him. "Mature," he mumbled.
"I thought so," Raven smiled.
"Of course, you realize, I'm going to have to get you back."
"No!" Raven squealed when she felt his fingers on her midsection as he began tickling her mercilessly.
"Uncle! Uncle!" Raven gasped out as loud as possible. She hated being tickled. Richard's chest rumbled as he laughed, pulling Raven closer to him by the waist. Raven draped her arms around his neck as she caught her breath; her head nestled in the crook of Richard's neck. "Hey," he said softly, "I'm not keeping you from your mom, am I? I know the plan was for us to spend time together – "
"You're not keeping me away from my mom," Raven quickly allayed his concerns as she looked up at him. Richard looked at her curiously. "I mean…we've been talking, but…" Raven looked down at the water.
"But?" Richard encouraged her.
"I don't know what to say to her," Raven looked back at him. "I mean, she's my mom who I thought was dead for 5 years. I should have so much to say to her, but when we're together…it's…" Richard continued watching her through his thick eyelashes. "I think I'm afraid," Raven's lower lip began to tremble slightly. She immediately began sucking on it, averting her gaze once more. "You're afraid of waking up one day, and she'll be gone," Richard said softly, "like it's all a dream." Raven exhaled deeply before nodding. "Raven," Richard said her name, "I wish I had an answer for you. I wish I knew what to say." Raven looked at him, and Richard was surprised to see water gathering in her eyes. Her body began to slightly tremble, and he tightened his hold on her. "I don't want to lose you, either," she whispered.
"What makes you think you'll lose me?" Richard asked curiously.
"I…I never thought you would return my affections. I was so happy when you did. Five weeks later, my mother shows up. Good things keep happening to me. I can't help but brace for impact." Richard's face softened in understanding. "My mom said I should tell you," Raven admitted shyly as she placed a strand of hair that had escaped her braid behind her ear. Richard nuzzled her with his nose. "Thank you for opening up to me," he said. Raven nodded, looking away once more as she felt her face heat up. "If I may make a suggestion," Richard said, "take it one day at a time." Raven slowly looked at him. "Take it one day, one moment at a time." Raven nodded, briefly glancing at his lips as she pulled herself closer to him. "Can you do that?" he asked her. Raven nodded. "Okay," Richard's face broke out into a smile. "Good."
Arella watched her daughter and Richard in the pool from a window overlooking the pool. She smiled gently as she watched Richard lean in and kiss her daughter. Arella didn't know how Raven did it. She came to this planet with nothing but the clothes on her back. No friends. No family. No help, Arella thought bitterly. And somehow, she had destroyed Trigon and now looked relatively happy.
A throat cleared behind her, capturing her attention. "Pardon me, Miss Arella," Alfred said coming to stand next to her, "I noticed you standing here looking a little…sad. I thought I'd come to try and cheer you up."
"Thank you, Alfred," Arella stared at the kind butler, "but I'm fine." He followed her gaze down to the pool where the amorous couple remained, locked in a very heated kiss. "Ah…to be young and in love," Alfred said.
"I wouldn't know," Arella said, looking back at the butler. Alfred's face fell. He felt for the poor girl. He really did. "I apologize on behalf of Master Wayne," Alfred said, "had I known…"
"It's okay," Arella smiled at him. "She grew up great." The two looked back down at the couple, and both of their faces immediately reddened. "Oh, my," Arella covered her mouth with her hand as she quickly withdrew from the window with a laugh.
"Master Dick," Alfred muttered while rolling his eyes, "not in broad daylight." He turned to Arella who was smiling widely with tears in her eyes. "Miss Arella, it was not my intention to upset you. I was merely…"
"You didn't upset me, Alfred," she said with a smile as tears ran down her face. "I've just never experienced…and she's so happy. I want to connect with her, but I don't know – I don't know how without feeling – omigosh! I'm a mess," Arella began to cry. Alfred immediately placed a comforting arm around Arella's waist and begin to lead her away from the window. "How about a nice, soothing cup of chamomile tea? Then we can talk."
"Okay," Arella agreed as she allowed Alfred to lead her to the kitchen.
